Sheet-pick-up mechanism



May 1s `1923, 1,585,368

J. R. BLAlN- SHEET PICK-UP MECHANISM Filed May 3, 1924 MTM I' Patented May 18h, 1926. UNITED STATES 1,585,368 PATENT oFFicE.

l JOSEH R. BLAINE, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 MIEHLEvPRINTIN-G PRESS @c MANUFACTURING CO., 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORQPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SHEET-PICK-UP MECHANISM.

Application led May 3,

Thisy invention relates to sheet separating and pick-up mechanism for use in c onnection with printing presses and the like.

One object of the invention is to provide simple, reliable and efficient sheet separating and pick-up mechanism in which the various parts and members-cooperate to obtain the best results.

Another object is to provide sheet separating and ick-up mechanism adapted .to meet the various requirements under service conditions.

These andl other objects are accomplished by means of` the arrangement'disclosed on the accompanying sheet of drawings, in whichl i Figure 1 is a front elevation ofsheet separating and pick-up mechanism embodying my invention, the suction shoe being shown slightly above the pile of sheets; Figure 2 is a similar view showing the suction shoe way down with respect. to the other part-s and also showing a portion of 'the flexible suction shoe drawn up' into theI .crimping means for crimping the topy sheet of paper for facilitating separation thereof from the second sheet;

Figure 3j isa similar View showing the whole mechanism raised slightly away from thi pile in a complete separating movement; an

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken in the plane of line 4-4 showing various parts of the mechanism and iluiiing and blast means cooperating with the other parts o f the mechanism for facilitating the separation' of the top, sheet from a second sheet.

The various novel features of the invention will be apparent from 4the following description and drawinofs and will be particularly-pointed out int e appended claims.

Referring to the figures of the drawings,

' it will be lnoted that the` preferred form of my.v sheet separating and pick-up mechanism "includes a` casing member 10, the upper end of which is` provided with rollers l1 which ride-y upon` the upper surface of the forked portion 124 of' an arm 13 mounted upon a rock shafty'14 which causes an upwardmovement ofthe casing, the latter moving down'- wardly. of its own weight. The casing has an enlar ed chamber 15 in I which a piston 16 is slidab y mounted. The

piston .has a. stem 17 extendingf upwardly through4 a smaller opening'18 inthe casing described, and with the 1924. Serial No. 710,753.

which stem is backed by a-spring 19 within a pocket 20 in the casing normally for holding the piston in its lowermost position with respect .to the casing. The chamber 15 in the casing is closed by a cover plate 21 which also acts as a stop to limit .the downward movement of the piston 16. The upper ortion of the piston is beveled away to orm an annular space in the chamber 15 between the. casing and the upper portion of the piston 16. A' plurality of apertures are extended from the beveled-off. portion of the piston to a central passageway 22 in the piston lwhich extends downwardly throu h a depending cylindrical portion 23 of t e piston.- Secured to the lower end of the cylindrical portion 23 of the piston is an annular flexible suction shoe 24.

In the operation of the device thus far piston 16 in its lowermost position, the casing l0 is permitted to lower by thelowering of the arm 1 3.

sheet 27 of material of the pile 28 is drawn ss upwardly against the suction shoe, sealing the latter. The suction shoe upon becoming sealed rises with the piston, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4., In this connection it is to be borne in mind that the suction shoe need not pass down into engagement with lsolid pile and that after the suction shoe is sealednby the rising topy sheet, the mechanism as a whole is given a rising movement through the arm 13.

- Means is provided for crimping the ilexible suction shoe, for in turn crimping theI top sheet of material for the purpose of fa.- cilitating separation of the top and second sheets. This crimping means takes the form lof a metal late 29 secured to the front of the enlarge portion of the casing 10. The lower extremity .of the plate 29- is adjacent the lowei` end of the suction shoe and has an arc-shaped slot or recess 30 therein into which one portion ofthe iexible suction shoe is drawn during the upward movement of said suction shoe. The portion ofthe suction shoe thus crimped up into the recess 30, causes the top sheet-of paper adhering to the` suction shoe also to be crimped o the second sheet. In the crimping of the i top sheet a channel or air passage is formed in said top sheet and extending back of the suction shoe as' at 323. A blast tube 31 is provided having a nozzle 32 for directing a blast of air between the top sheet and pile after the sheet is partially lifted in. order to separate or free the iear or tall of the sheet. l

The degree of crimp may he varied by varying the position of the plate 29 on the casing 10. In this connection it will be noted that the plate is4 provided with an elongated slot 34 through which a set screw 35 passes, the latter being threaded into the 'enlarged portion of the casing 10. A tube 36 is provided having a plurality of' aperv tures 3T for directing jets of air against the anism, the combination of a edge of the pile 28 foi` fluiiing the latter and forming the pocket of air 33 mentioned.

By means of the mechanism and arrangement hereinabove described, the topsheet of material in a pile may be picked up and rseparated from the second sheet in a manner to meet all of the requirements of service conditions.

It is my intention to cover all modifications of the invention falling within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. In sheet separating and ick-up mechanism, the combination of a enible suction shoe against which a sheet is drawn, and.

means for crimping the suction shoe for in turn crimping the sheet to facilitate sheet separation.

2. In sheet separating and ick-up mechanism, the combination of a exible suction shoe vagainst which a sheet is drawn, means for crimping the suction shoe for in turn crimping the sheet to facilitate sheet separation, and means for varying the degree of crim ing.

3. n sheet separating and ick-up mechexible suction shoe against which a'sheet is drawn, means for crimping the suction shoe for in turn crimping the sheet to facilitate sheet separation, and means for shooting air under the crimped portion of the sheet to form a relatively large pocket of air between the top and second sheets.

4. In sheet se arating and pick-up mechanism, the com inationl of a flexible shoe against which a sheet is drawn, a crimping member, and means whereby said suction shoe is moved into operative association with said crimping member for crimping a sheet of material gripped by said suction shoe for facilitating sheet separation,

5. In sheet separat-ing and pick-up mech-r anism, the combination of a casing, a pist-on operable in said casing, a suction shoe operatively connected to said piston, means whereby when a sheet of material is gripped by said suction shoe the pistou and suction shoe are caused to rise, and means associated with said suction shoe for crimping the latter andthe sheet of material as said piston rises for facilitating sheet separation.

6. In sheet separating and pick-up mechanism, the combination of a casing, a piston operable in said casing, a suction shoe operatively connected tov said piston, means whereby when a sheet of material is gripped by said suction shoe the piston and suction shoe are caused to rise, means associated with said suction shoe for crimping t-he latter and the sheet of material as said piston rises for facilitating sheet separation, and means whereby the vdegree of crimping may be Varied.,

7. In sheet separating and pick-up mechanism, combination of a casing, a piston operable in said casing, a suction shoe operatively connected to said piston, means whereby when a sheet of material is gripped by said suction shoe the piston and suction shoe are caused to rise, means associated with said suction shoe for crimping the latter and the sheet of material as said piston rises for facilitating sheet separation, and vmeans for shooting air under the crimped portion 'of the sheet to form a relatively large pocket of air between the top. and second sheets.

8. In sheet separating and pick-up mechanism, the combination of a casing, a piston operable in said casing, a spring, normally for holding the piston in the lpwer portion of said casing, a flexible suction shoe operatively connected to said piston, means whereby said suction shoe and piston are caused to rise against the tension of said spring when a sheet is gripped, means on said casing for crimping said flexible suction shoe and said sheet as said suction shoe and sheet are raised.

9. In sheet separating and pick-up mechanism, the combination of a casing, *a piston operable in said casing, a spring normally for holding the piston in the lower portion of said casing, a liexible suction shoe operatively connected to said piston, means whereby said suction shoe and piston are caused to rise against the tension of said' spring when a sheet is gripped, means on said casing for crimping said flexible lsuction shoe and said sheet as said suction shoe and sheet are raised, and means for shooting air under the crimped portion of the sheet to form a relatively large pocket of air be.- tween the top and second sheets.

l0, In sheet separating and pick-up mechanisrn,`a flexible suction shoe against which a sheet is drawn, means for crimping the suction shoe for in turn crimping the sheet to facilitate sheet separation, means -for fiuliing the sheet material in the pile, a1-

" 5 sheet portion of the sheet to form a. relatively large pocket of air between the top and sec- .ond sheets and means for shooting a blast of air between said'top and second sheets 'or Separating same.

11. In sheet separating and pick-up mechanism, the combination of a casing, an a ertured piston o rable in said casing, a exible suction s oe operatively `connected to said piston, said plston moving upwardly carrying a sheet when the shoe has `become sealed by a sheet, and means for crimping said shoe to crimp said sheet to facilitate separation.

12. In sheet separating and pick-up mechanism, the combination of a casing, an a rtured piston o rable in said casing a exible suction s oe operatively connected to said piston, said piston moving upwardly carrying av sheet when the shoe has become sealed bya sheet, means `for crimping said shoe to crimp said sheet to facilitate sheet separation, and means for shooting air under the crimped portion of the sheet to form a relatively large cket. of air between the top andsecon sheets.

, Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 8th day ef- A'prl, 1924.

,y JOSEPH R.BLA1NE. 

